Unexpectability
by Isabelle Gibson
Summary: Katherine is a simple girl that works in a bakery. Kit is the feisty newsgirl mascarading as a boy. will Spot be able to put two and two together?
1. Ch 1

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the original Newises. Disney does ( But I do own Katherine 'Kit' O'Connell.  
Chapter 1  
  
The sun rises in a blaze of red and gold light, shining off the sides of the slick glass buildings on the East River. It's another day of work for the newsies of New York.  
  
The sun penetrates the high windows of the Manhattan newsboys' Lodging house as Kloppman, the owner of the house, starts to wake the boys up.  
  
"Get up! Get up!"  
  
Katherine O'Connell rolls over in her bed trying to ignore the voice of Jack Kelley in her ear, and his hands on her shoulders gently shaking her awake.  
  
"Up and 'at 'em, sunshoine," he smiles as he watches her roll over to get away from him.  
  
"Not taday Jacky-boy, not taday!" Kit grabs a pillow and hits him in the side of the head with it.  
  
Jack pulls her from her bed and stands her up, "ya gotta woik at Tibby's taday, remembah?"  
  
Kit groans as he heaves her from her bed and reminds her of work, "Why me Jack, why me?" She pulls on a white cotton button up shirt over her undershirt and smiles darkly at Jack.  
  
He chuckles as he pushes her towards the washroom. Damn, but if she ain't the prettiest girl in all of New Yoik.Jack quickly stops these thoughts. Every other boy in New York wanted a piece of Kit O'Connell, in some way or another.  
  
Kit walks into the washroom, her eyes dark with lack of sleep and annoyance, as she pulls her hair up and ties it in place with a piece of old cotton t-shirt. She nods recognition to all the "Good moinin's" coming from the boys. Many of them ask how she slept and how she was feeling. She smiles softly to all the boys and watches Racetrack Higgins make his way over to her, a cigar in his mouth and a smile playing about his lips.  
  
"How many papes dis moinin' Kit?" Race was known for his addiction to gambling at the racetrack.  
  
"None, Race," she grumbles out, "I'se woikin' at Tibby's taday." This statement seems to darken her foul mood as she slumps over to an empty sink. "Deah me." Is all that she can say as she looks at her disheveled appearance in the mirror. Her chocolate curls piled on the top of her head makes her smile even more as she leans over the basin and washes her face.  
  
Kit walks back in to the bunkroom; her drab skirt held up to her knees by her left hand and her black scuffed up boots in her right. "Moinin' Jack" she smiles as she greets her friend. "How'd ya sleep?"  
  
Jack looks at her with deep interest as she saunters into the room, her skirt above her knees and a smile that he knows not many people have seen before. The kind of smile that starts in her eyes and ends up in the attractive deep dimple in her left cheek. As she walks over to the bunk next to his, she drops her boots to the floor with a loud 'thunk'. Jack watches her as she pulls her hair down from the untidy ponytail on the top her head and begins to braid one side of the curtain of curls into a French braid. He watches her sapphire eyes, glittering as if they were real sapphires, as she rambles on to him about nothing in particular, Her small nose and full red lips bringing out her large eyes and pale but constantly flushed complexion. What am I t'inking? This is Kit we're toilking about, Kit O'Connell-da little nine year old that Blink drugged in from da rain, when we was 9. Her voice quickly pulls him from his thoughts. She has just finished one braid and is starting on the other when she looks up and sees Jack staring at her.  
  
"Jack. Are you listenin' ta me? Are ya feelin ok, Jacky-boy?" she knows what's going on in his mind but she decides to play dumb. She knew it would happen sooner or later. Though she preferred later, much later.  
  
"Have you eva known me ta be sick on a sellin dey?" he smiles and places a chaste kiss on her forehead, "C'mon, I'll walk ya ta Tibby's"  
  
Kit buttons up her shirt and tucks it into her drab gray skirt, then takes up step with Jack as they walk to Tibby's together.  
  
***  
  
It had been a long day at the restaurant. She had seen most of the boys from the Lodging house, a few from Brooklyn and a few from the Bronx. She made her famous brownies and vanilla ice cream today and sold out at lunch. It has been a good day. Kit is about to close up when a gang of newsies from Queens steps into the restaurant.  
  
"Can I help ya boys?"  
  
"Yeah," the boy, who she assumed was the leader, steps forward to stand directly in front of her. Too close for comfort, actually, "we'se lookin' for Kit O'Connell, you seen 'im?"  
  
"No sorry boys, sure haven't"  
  
The leader just smiles a very crooked smile and runs a dirty hand down her arm, resting it on the curve of her hip, "You eva t'ink of movin' ta Queens, Dollface? You'd be treated loik a queen."  
  
"Me home is heah. Sorry boys but I would rat'er move ta Brooklyn and deal wit' Spot Conlon before I moved ta Queens wit' da loiks of you'se."  
  
She throws him a cheeky smile and slaps his hands away, trying to push past him. His arm encircles her waist and he pulls her to him, "where ya goin' dollface?" he begins to nuzzle her neck when three pairs of hands grab the boy by his shoulders and toss him out onto the street. Kit would have fallen to the floor if it hadn't been for a strong arm catching her about the waist and pulling her to its owner's side. In front of her stood Kid Blink, Racetrack Higgins, Jack Kelley, Mush, and Skittery. She looked to her right, at the owner of the arm that kept her from falling. He was a handsome young man with dirty blonde hair and ice blue eyes. He isn't that tall but she's so short that he is taller than her. She knows she's seen him somewhere but can't think of where. His face is expressionless and she can't tell what he's thinking. Suddenly he opens his mouth to speak.  
  
"It alroight if I stay in Manhattan ta noight Jacky-boy?"  
  
Wait a minute! Jacky-boy was her name for Jack. Who did this strange guy think he was calling Jack by the nickname she gave him?!  
  
She looks at Jack and then at the stranger. Angered, she puts her hand on her hip, surprised to find his hand still there. She slaps his hand and looks back at Jack, puzzled by his strange attitude. Jack wasn't doing anything about this stranger's hands being around her waist. Jack smiles, "Sure Spot, I don' mind. We'se got plenty of bunks."  
  
Race, Blink, Mush and Skittery are eyeing Spot's hand on Kit's waist but Spot didn't seem to notice. "You'se 'kay Sweets?" Race finally speaks up, his voice shaking with concern. Mush, Blink and Skittery, all nod in agreement saying almost simultaneously, "Yeah, Sweets, you'se 'kay?"  
  
She slaps Spot's hand away and smiles at the boys just standing there, "T'ank you deahs" Kit smiles, the dimple deep in her cheek, as she saunters out of the restaurant, purposefully swaying her hips. She turns to look at the boys, their mouths hanging open "you'se comin' boys?" She chuckles as they all remove their hats and walk by her, smiling. Spot stops in front of her, smiles smugly, places a hand on the small of her back and leans down placing a hard kiss on her lips. She shoves him away from her, locks the door, shoves the key in her pocket, and walks away fuming with anger.  
  
***  
  
Spot walks into the bunkroom of the Manhattan lodging house with Jack. Sweets had disappeared right after she locked up Tibby's. Spot smirks at the thought of kissing her again. When he kissed her though he felt something he had never felt before. Like static shock that traveled through his entire body. He shakes the thought out of his head as he walks into the noisy bunkroom. ***  
  
Kit walks into the Lodging house and signs in, paying her five cents. Blue fire is still burning in her eyes, furious over what Spot Conlon had done to her. Spot Conlon for God's sake. The leadah of Brooklyn had kissed her. Correction: the leadah of Brooklyn had kissed Sweets, da bak'ry goil. She frowns and walks into the loud bunkroom, grabbing a pair of pants from her bed and discarding the cotton shirt in a few seconds. Leaving her standing in her sleeveless scoop-neck undershirt and her gray skirt.  
  
"Hey Kit, how was da cookin' taday?" Blink smiles at her and leans on her bedpost.  
  
"Kid Blink, were you'se not dere? I made brownies and vanilla ice cream. Your fav'rite." Smiles and shakes her head, "I'm sorry you missed it."  
  
Kit laughs softly at Blink's sudden darkened mood and whispers so that no one can hear her, "Come by ta morra and I'll see if I got any left. I know I got some ice cream." Kit winks and walks into the washroom to change into her pants and out of her skirt. Her good mood is back and she just wants to settle down for the night. Just more work at Tibby's tomorrow.  
  
She walks out of the washroom wearing tawny brown pants and faded blue suspenders with her thin undershirt. She's putting her hair up into the usual, untidy ponytail on the top of her head when she sees him. Spot Conlon standing by her bed, with his arms crossed across his chest, talking to Jack. Before he sees her she shoves her hat on her head, tucks the stray locks of hair underneath, and puts on her poker face: expressionless.  
  
Spot looks at Kit O'Connell, Kit smirks and spit shakes with him.  
  
"Da name's Kit. And you'se would be?"  
  
"Uh.uh.s-s-Spot Conlon - leadah of da Brooklyn newsies. Hoid of me?"  
  
"No" Kit finds amusement in his stuttering. The boys in the bunkroom burst into laughter as Jack walks in and drapes his arm over Kit's shoulder, not even noticing Spot.  
  
"So Kit, how many ta morra? 100?" Jack laughs a little and then turns to Spot, finally noticing him, "hey Spot, you'se met Kit yet?"  
  
Spot nods and scowls. Kit looks at him with a smirk.  
  
"Lights out boys!" Kloppman climbs the stairs to the bunkroom and begins to turn lights out. Kit lies down on her bed and sighs. Spot climbs onto the bunk above hers. She shakes her head, her hair still in her ponytail, and drifts off to sleep. 


	2. Ch 2

Chapter 2  
  
Kit tosses and turns in her bed for hours before waking up, slipping a faded red button up shirt on over her undershirt, buttoning it up half- way and going out onto the roof. She watches as the sun rises slowly in to the New York sky. Why me? Why da hell does I hafta be a goil? Kit runs a hand through her long curly hair and sighs heavily. She then hears a match light and turns to see Spot lighting a cigarette.  
  
Without looking at her Spot asks, "So, whose goil are you'se?"  
  
At first she panics, but soon calms herself down, "what?! You don' reco'nize me?" She feigns an innocent look and flutters her thick lashes at him, expecting him to get angry about her sarcasm. But instead he walks over to her and smirks, lifting a hand to her face and rubbing his thumb across her lower lip, "How could I forgit dos' lips?" his laugh becomes deep as he leans in to kiss her.  
  
She smiles softly and slips her arms around his neck, forgetting who she is, "and who am I Spot?"  
  
He places small kisses down her neck as he whispers, "Samantha from da Bronx." but before he can get another word out of his mouth or another button on her shirt undone, she delivers him a clip to the jaw.  
  
"Bastard," is muttered under her breath as she walks back into the bunkroom, buttoning her shirt up as she walks.  
  
Spot smirks, Jus' da reaction I was lookin' for. He too crawls in through the window and back to his bunk, whispering goodnight to Sweets and rubbing his jaw. ***  
  
Kit gets up before all the boys the next morning; she's working at Tibby's again. She changes into her uniform, not bothering to braid her hair this morning. As she sits on her bed pulling on her black boots she hears a rustling noise. Figuring it's just Kloppman, she goes on about lacing up her boots.  
  
Spot watches her lace up her worn out boots and run a weary hand through her hair. He doubts, like him, she got much sleep.  
  
Kit leaps down the stairs two at a time and waves a good day to Kloppman. ***  
  
It's lunchtime at Tibby's and Kit is already tired. She hadn't gotten much sleep after what that.boy.did to her. She shakes it out of her head as she hears a table of boys yelling her name.  
  
"What can I getcha boys?" With a smile she takes an order for a dozen pieces of the double chocolate cake she'd made that morning. Kit walks behind the counter and yells the order to the back. She walks out from behind the counter and gets stopped by Spot. She sighs heavily and motions to a table that she'll be there in a moment. "I don' have time for dis, Spot."  
  
Spot looks shocked, "You don' have time for me?" he laughs and looks at her closely, "Kit - I wanna talk to you'se. Now."  
  
Kit walks over to the counter where the tray of cakes is sitting and delivers it to a table of a dozen or so boys, "heah ya go boys, eat up." She smiles and collects the money then walks to another table, taking more orders for cokes and cake, "I'm 'fraid you'se got da wrong poisen." pauses and wipes her hand on her apron then putting it out for him to shake, "da name's Sweets, how do ya do?" she smiles and returns to behind the counter. Yelling out more orders to Frank, the owner.  
  
Spot stands at the counter looking at her with dark eyes. He was going to talk to her privately, whether she came willingly or if he had to drag her out by the long curls of chocolate hair draped about her shoulders.  
  
She sighs and yells to Frank that she's taking a quick break and that she needed some air. She takes off her royal blue apron and walks out from behind the counter.  
  
As soon as she steps from behind the counter Spot slips his arm around her waist and pulls her outside, showing anyone that is watching that Kit was officially his and that anyone who dared to make a move towards her wouldn't live to tell about it. Unlike Mush and Race sitting at a nearby table, Kit was oblivious to this little suggestion.  
  
Kit turns and glares at him. "What do ya want from me?"  
  
"Da Truth. Kit -Sweets-whoeva da hell you'se are-what's wit da secrecy?"  
  
She turns and looks out at the road, "how's ya know it was me? Well, Kit dat is."  
  
Spot steps in front of her, his hand touching the side of her face and his thumb rubbing her bottom lip, "As I said last night, 'Ow could I forgit dos' lips? Dere's only one pair in all of New Yoik as poifect as you'se's." He smiles smugly when she blushes.  
  
Kit looks away, "don' tell anyone. You'se saw what hap'ned yesterday, if they knew dat I was who I am."  
  
"I won' tell anyone"  
  
"T'anks. Lis'en I gotta get back ta woik. It's real busy in dere." She turns and walks back into Tibby's but stops when she gets to the door, "It was nice meeting you'se"  
  
Spot shrugs, "Same ta you'se Dollface." purposely using the name that the leader of the Queens newsies used.  
  
"D.D.DollFACE?!" Kit then turns and goes back into the restaurant without another word of goodbye to the brat.  
  
Spot scowls, what da hell has gotten inta me?! She's gorgeous and heah I am makin' her hate me.I gots ta get back ta Brooklyn. Shakes his head, steps into the restaurant, waves goodbye to all the boys in there and walks out. Brooklyn was calling his name.  
  
***  
  
Kit is watching the last of the customers for that night walk out of the restaurant. She had gotten a large tip today from the businessmen that came in for dinner and was planning to buy her some new boots. She just finished cleaning up and is about to lock up when she sees him. Les Jacobs, Dave's little brother, is sound asleep on one of the tables. Poor kid, it's been a long day. Because of her years of fighting beside Jack on the streets, picking the small boy up was no problem. Kit locks up the restaurant and heads towards Dave's house.  
  
***  
  
Quietly as she can, Kit knocks on the door to the Jacobs' apartment. Sarah answers the door and takes Les out of Kit's arms and lays him in the big bed at the side of the room.  
  
"Hey Sarah. Hello Mr. And Mrs. Jacobs." She smiles whole-heartedly, "Les fell asleep at Tibby's and I just thought I would bring him home. Where's Dave?"  
  
Esther Jacobs glances up from where she is sewing and looks at Kit, "He's out with Jack doing something tonight. Would you like something to eat? I'm afraid you'll blow away with the first gust of wind."  
  
Kit laughs softly but shakes her head, "no ta'nks ma'am. I should head back ta da lodging house meself. I gots ta work da papes tomorra."  
  
"Oh alright then. Do be careful on your way home."  
  
"I will, don't worry. Bye Sarah it was noice ta see ya's agin." Kit leaves the apartment building slowly. She doesn't want to go straight back to the Lodging house because she knows how noisy it will be. Instead she begins to walk, not really paying any attention to where she is going.  
  
***  
  
By the time she comes to her senses she finds herself in the middle of the Brooklyn Bridge, half way to Brooklyn. She sighs tiredly and shakes her head. What a disaster. It'll take me an hour just to get back to the lodging house. At this statement her luck seems to have run out. She feels a cold drop of water slide down the back of her neck. As she runs through the sudden downpour of rain, her hair falls from the ponytail and is hanging in her face as she walks into the Brooklyn lodging house. She smiles at Smith, the owner of the house, and tosses him a nickel and signs in.  
  
"Evenin' Kit. What brings ya ta Brooklyn?"  
  
"Well Smith, I was bein' silly and decided to walk for a bit. Before ya know it, it's pourin' down rain and I'm closa to Brooklyn den Manhattan so I decided to stay da night heah." She kisses the old man's cheek, "dat ain't problem I hope."  
  
"Certanly not, Kit."  
  
"T'anks."  
  
Kit walks into the bunkroom with every intention of going straight to sleep after changing her clothes. "Deah me" she mumbles to herself as every boy in the bunkroom stops to look at her. She smiles wholeheartedly the dimple in her left cheek accentuated with the bright flush of her cheeks, "Evenin' boys." She brushes a wet tendril of hair out of her face and flips her hair over her shoulder, feeling it stick to the wet skin of her neck. Many of the boys just sit, openmouthed, removing their hats in respect.  
  
Kit looks down at her appearance and groans inwardly. Her white shirt is soaked through, along with her pants. I have no extra clothes. What am I going to do? She looks at the boys sternly, "ok heahs da deal boys, I have just come from da middle of da Brooklyn bridge in da rain. I am soaked through, as I'm sure you can all see," she rolls her eyes and thinks about what she must look like to them, "so I need some clothes."  
  
"I'll let ya borra a pair of mine." She looks up to see Spot Conlon looking at her with interest just like all the other boys.  
  
"Hell no. I appreciate it but I'm shoir dere is some one else heah dat might be willin' ta lend me some clothes."  
  
Spot looks around the room and smirks at Kit, "we'se all content ta let ya look loik dat da rest of da noight." He throws a pair of brown pants and a faded blue shirt. "You'se can eidder wear dos' or go wit'out."  
  
She frowns and stomps off towards the washroom to change. 


	3. Ch 3

Chapter 3  
  
Kit leaves the bunkroom and every boy in the house turns to look at Spot.  
  
"You know her Spot?" Tip, Spot's second in command, looks at Spot with admiration.  
  
"Yeah, so do you'se all."  
  
The whole room waits with raw suspense. Waiting for Spot to tell them who she is. Spot fingers the cane at his side and thinks for a minute; trying to decide whether or not to tell them everything he knows, "ya know da goil up at Tibby's in Man'attan?"  
  
Tip nods, "Sweets, yeah why.? Wait.No way dat's Sweets. No way!"  
  
Spot nods, "Da very one." At this moment Kit walks out of the washroom wearing the borrowed clothes, one suspender on her shoulder and the other hanging from her pants. Her shirt is tucked into the pants, the sleeves are rolled up to her elbows and the first four buttons are unbuttoned on the shirt. Her hair is still a bit damp so she has a towel in her hand drying the ends of the long tendrils.  
  
Kit glares at Spot as she walks over to him, "t'anks Spot," are grumbled out before she turns to the room of boys all looking at her.  
  
Tip steps forward and takes her hand and kisses the back of it, "Sweets, I almost didn't reco'nize ya."  
  
Kit pulls her hand away and smiles at Tip, embracing him in a hug, "I didn't reco'nize you'se eidder, how long has it been since you'ses been at Tibby's? A year? You've gotten so tall."  
  
She smiles as a few other boys walk up to her and introduce themselves. Spot watches the whole scene with fascination. Dis goil is enchantin' all my boys wit' on'y a few smiles and hand shakes. Why Spot becomes furious is beyond him. All he knows is that he doesn' want any other boys to have what he wants. Her.  
  
Spot bounds across the room to stand next to Jess. He takes her elbow and whispers in her ear, "I need ta toilk to you'se now."  
  
Kit looks at the boys watching Spot with question, "Does he always have ta get 'is way?"  
  
After a moment of silence, Spot pulls her away and pushes her out a window that leads to the roof. She waits until he has climbed out of the window until she speaks to him. "What was all of dat about Spot Conlon? You don' own me."  
  
"you'se are wearin' me clothes. If you want to keep them on your body I would suggest you hush." He smirks, "Just keep talkin' dollface, I wouldn' moind takin' 'dem back."  
  
"If ya call me Dollface one more time, I swear dat I'll hit ya roight in da mouth."  
  
"Jus' loik ya did da udder noight?" Laughs softly as her mouth drops open in horror.  
  
She turns away blushing, remembering how much she had wanted him to keep kissing her. She had felt something when he touched her lips that she had never felt before. It was kind of shocking. She thought she was going to be able to just blow it off, like all the others, and knock the hell out of him for touching her but she didn't. She had wanted more. His expression was so serious and hard, that to see him so gentle with her was unnerving.  
  
Spot is watching her with scrutinizing interest. He looks her up and down. Her profile set to a hard frown in the growing darkness, her heavy curtain of chocolate-brown hair reaching almost to her navel when she leans forward. And the way she wears her shirt, showing more skin then she probably realizes. The strength that radiates from her eyes is overwhelming.  
  
Kit turns to Spot, watching him give her the once over. It was the same way Jack was looking at her a few mornings before, but this time it wasn't awkward. It seemed only natural that he should be looking at her that way. She stands on her tiptoes as he leans down, their lips meeting in a gentle caress. Just as Spot is about to pick her up and carry her back into the room, she stops him. Placing two fingers to his lips and silently walking to the window, climbing through, back to the bunkroom.  
  
Spot watches her go then turns and leans on the railing that goes around the roof. He doesn't understand her but he has some idea of what was going on in that little head of hers. He lights a cigarette and take a long drag before going back inside.  
***  
  
Spot wakes her up the next morning. At first he just nudges her shoulder with his hand. But she just rolls over and pulls the blankets up to her neck. He groans and takes a hold of both of her shoulders and gives them a hard shake. To his surprise she reaches under her head, grabs the pillow she is sleeping on, and hits him hard in the head with it.  
  
"Go away Jacky-boy. I'm not in da mood dis moinin'." She rolls over and turns her back to Spot.  
  
Spot laughs out loud, bringing all the boys' attention to the sleeping girl in bed. "Dis ain't your Jacky-boy and I don' care whet'er you'se in da mood or not."  
  
Kit rolls over to look at him, blue fire igniting in her sapphire eyes.  
  
Spot suddenly grabs her arm and hauls her out of bed, holding her shoulders to make sure she doesn't fall.  
  
"What da hell did ya do dat for?" she pushes him off of her and walks into the washroom. Her hair is curlier from the amount of rain it soaked up the previous night and her eyes are dark with sleep.  
  
"Moinin' Sweets" Tip greets her with a rib breaking hug around the middle, lifting her off the ground, and a affectionate peck on the cheek,  
  
"Moinin' to you too, Tip." She laughs out loud as many of the other boys come by and tell her good morning. She picks a little four year old that is standing in front of her, letting him kiss her cheek, and yells over her shoulder to Spot, "I'm beginning to love Brooklyn." ***  
The boys in Brooklyn sure do know how to make a girl feel welcome. After leaving the lodging house, the boys surround her on all sides, chattering on about what she plans to do all day. Kit simply tells them that she is going to sell papes. Well this surprises them. Spot just smiles, links arms with her and walks her to distribution alley.  
  
***  
  
Kit is now at the distribution center and sitting, waiting for Spot to come back with her papes. She pulls a few hairpins from the pocket of her pants and smiles mischievously.  
  
Spot walks back from getting Kit's papes and finds that she has disappeared. Spot sits down and thinks for a moment, where could she have gone? Maybe Tip is showin' her somethin'.At that moment Spot hears a familiar laugh. He looks over in the direction of the noise and sees Jess O'Connell standing with a bunch of his guys laughing at something. But it wasn't the Sweets all his boys knew. No it was a boy, with short dark brown hair, baggy pants held up by blue suspenders and a faded blue shirt.  
  
Spot walks over to Kit and smiles. "Hey Kit, what brings ya ta Brooklyn, and can I please have a li'l chat wit ya?"  
  
Katherine smiles oh so slightly as not to reveal her dimple to the other boys, "oh I'm jus' here checkin' up on Brooklyn, jus' seein' how t'ings are goin'. Sure." Kit turns to the group of boys she was talking to, "I better be goin' -- Spot and I are sellin' papes toget'er ta day." With this she tips her hat to the boys, takes her fifty papes from Spot and begins top walk in step with him. "Whatcha wanna toilk about?"  
  
As soon as they get out of ear shot of the boys, Spot turns on her, "What are ya doin'?"  
  
"Sellin' papes, been doin' it for da past eight years and I don' plan on stoppin' nows. EXTRY! EXTRY! READ ALL ABOUT IT! FIRE AT ELLIS ISLAND -- T'OUSANDS OF LIVES ENDANGERED! EXTRY! EXTRY!" hands out fives papes and shoves the money in her pocket, "ya gotta prob'em wit it?" Looks at Spot, his mouth hanging wide open. She snaps her fingers in front of his face a couple times, "Hey! Hey! You'se look sick or sumt'in." She puts the back of her hand to his forehead, "Well you'se ain't runnin' a feva'"  
  
Spot closes his mouth and smiles at her, "I don' plan on makin' you stop anytime soon, don't woiry. You are too good." He pushes her hand away and looks at her with amusement, "I'm not sick. I jus' neva' seen Kit O'Connell in action before."  
  
***  
  
Kit sold all fifty of her papes in an hour and a half, Spot sold his hundred in three hours, and so they walked around until lunchtime.  
  
Spot and Kit walk into Tibby's. It's lunchtime and Jess is starving. Spot watches her order a sandwich and a coke before ordering some food for him. Kit seems to be in a good mood taday. He smiles as she walks over to Mush, Race, and some other boys from Manhattan to say hello.  
  
***  
  
"Where were you'se las' noight Kit?" Mush asks in a worried tone of voice.  
  
Kit takes a bite of her sandwich before answering the question. "Got caught in da storm and I was closa ta Brooklyn den' I was ta Man'attan." She just shrugs as if it's no big deal.  
  
Race speaks up, "how many papes ya sell dis' moinin' Kit?"  
  
"On'y fifty, Race. I was in Brooklyn, and you knows how defensive dey get if you'se are in dere ter'itory" she takes another bite of her sandwich, sneaks a glance at Spot talking with some of his Brooklyn buddies and then looks at who just walked in to the restaurant.  
  
The gang from Queens was back and looking for Kit. Spot, Mush, Race and Blink all look at Jess worried. Kit stands up and walks up to the boys.  
  
"Well lookie heah, if it ain't Kit O'connell, hisself."  
  
Kit just glares at him, "Can I help you boys wit' sumt'in?"  
  
"Yeah, we'se need to toilk to you'se outside."  
  
Kit just nods and walks outside with the group of boys.  
  
***  
  
Kit walks out and the restaurant falls silent as they watch the conversation going on outside. Spot has his back turned, silently saying to himself that he doesn't care. Race and Blink exchange looks and then glance over at Spot, ignoring the entire thing. Supposedly. The whole restaurant is now staring out the window, wondering what is going to happen next. Spot hears the sound of flesh hitting flesh and stands up so quickly his chair falls over backwards. He turns and heads for the door just as Race and Blink Stop him.  
  
"Spot, Kit has got it under control." Blink reassures him.  
  
Spot looks at Blink puzzled, "are you'ses tellin' me dat you are going to stand here and let a goil get beat up."  
  
Race interrupts him in mid-sentence, "Mos' o' dese boys don' know Kit is a.you knows."  
  
Spot runs a hand over his eyes, "I forgot, but we can't jus' stand heah and watch dem."  
  
Race points out the window just as Kit shoves the leader of the gang into the other boys and they run off, scared.  
  
***  
  
Kit stands out side on the sidewalk, her arms folded across her chest and her feet shoulder's width apart, "say what you need to say and then leave."  
  
The leader steps forward and backhands her, "shut it bitch, I know who you'se are. Sweets." He sneers, "You made a fool out of me and now it's time to pay." He raises his hand to strike her again and just as his arm comes down, just inches from her face, she grabs his wrist and twists it backwards, making him yelp in pain.  
  
Her voice is so low now that only the boy who is threatened can hear her, "It doesn' matta whet'er or not I'm a goil, I can still knock you'se inta next week if I wanted to." She shoves him in to the gang of boys cowering behind him and points away from the restaurant, "Leave, now." The boy's scurry away as quick as the cockroaches they are. Kit wipes the blood from her lip with the back of her hand and walks back inside.  
  
Kit sits down back where she was and looks at Spot as Race tends to the forming bruise on her right cheek and her busted lip. Spot stands there with his arms crossed across his chest, his cold blue eyes making the hair on the back of Kit's neck stand on end.  
  
Kit thanks Race when he's finished and stands up directly in front of Spot, "Mush, Race, and Blink, I want you'se t'ree to tell Jack that I'll be gone for awhile. I'm stayin' in Brooklyn for a few months. I need to get away from Man'attan where dey knows where I sleep. I have a strange feelin' dat boy will be back for me." 


	4. Ch 4

Chapter 4  
  
Three months have passed since Kit left Manhattan. Most of the boys at the lodging house have figured out the connection of Kit and Sweets. She now sells papes with Spot in Brooklyn, their friendship growing stronger everyday. ***  
  
It's lunchtime on the docks and Jack has come over to Brooklyn to invite Spot and his boys to a party at Irving Hall that night. Spot and Jack sit on the docks watching Kit play with the little kids, smiling as they latch on to her legs and act as anchors, not letting her move and tripping her up.  
  
Spot smiles at her and takes a long drag on his cigarette, "I don' know Jacky-boy. She's real special ta me, and I don' wanna screw t'ings up. I mean, what if she doesn' feel da same way about me and den moves back ta Man'attan?" Spot looks at Jack with pain in his eyes.  
  
Jack laughs at his friend, "Spot, are you'se scared?"  
  
"Hell yeah!" Spot says this a little too loud and Kit hears it, gives him a fierce frown and mouths little ears, then smiles at him in spite of herself. Spot smiles back then looks at Jack, "I'll tell her tonight." Spot watches with fondness as Kit leans down and scoops up a crying three year old, and then kisses its hurt hand.  
  
***  
  
Spot and Kit walk back to the lodging house together and Spot tells her about the party at Irving Hall.  
  
"That sounds wonderful," Kit smiles and immediately starts thinking about what she's going to wear.  
  
Spot smiles, "you wouldn'...uh." he stutters as he tries to get the words out, " you wouldn' wanna go as me date to dis t'ing ta noight. Would ya?"  
  
Kit smiles, her dimple threatening to split her cheek, "I t'ought you'd never ask." She links arms with Spot and wonders what she is going to wear to impress him.  
  
***  
  
Kit walks down the steps of the Lodging house and into the lobby where all the boys are standing, waiting for her. Her hair is down and hanging over her shoulders in heavy curls. The vibrant red dress, fits snugly to the top part of her body and brings out the soft flush of her cheeks. She smiles at Spot and blushes under his scrutiny.  
  
"Hey Dollface." Spot kisses the delicate dimple in her cheek, "you look wondahfuhl."  
  
"Enough Spot Conlon" she smacks him on the arm, "But t'ank you."  
  
Spot takes her hand and walks out of the lodging house.  
  
***  
  
The party seems to be in full swing when Brooklyn arrives. Kit is pulled away to the dance floor by Mush and Jack stops to talk to Spot.  
  
"So ya tell 'er yet?"  
  
"Nah, I wan' it ta be special"  
  
Jack nods, "ok, but I jus' say you'se scared."  
  
"I'm scared of losin' her" Spot watches Mush spin Kit around the dance floor, making her laugh.  
  
The song ends and Kit walks over to the table that Spot is sitting at, still laughing, "Oh my, Mush can dance." She looks at the dancing couples enviously and smiles at the slow song that is being played by the band.  
  
Spot gently takes her hand, kisses the back of it and leads her out onto the dance floor. "May I have dis dance?" He slips a strong arm around her waist and pulls her closer to him.  
  
"Yes you'se may." Kit slips a small hand into Spot's and puts one arm around his neck.  
  
Spot smiles at her, "you are da prettiest girl I have eva' met."  
  
"You are jus' full o' compliments ta noight Spot."  
  
Spot smiles, "Yeah. Kit I have sumt'in I need ta tell ya"  
  
"Yeah Spot?"  
  
"I.I love."  
  
Kit looks at him puzzled, "spit it out boy"  
  
"Kit, I Love you." He sighs heavily.  
  
Kit's eyes tear up as she kisses him. She laughs out loud as he picks her up and spins her around. She kisses him again, both of her arms wrapped around his neck, and whispers in his ear, "I love you too Spot."  
  
The song ends and Spot slips his arm around her waist, pulling her up to his side. They both walk over to the table that Jack is sitting at.  
  
"I did it" Spot turns and kisses Kit's dimple, "T'anks Jack."  
  
***  
  
After the party Kit announces that she will stay in Brooklyn until other arrangements are made, by this she means marriage or separation. All the Manhattan boys come up and give her a hug and a kiss on the cheek, tears misting their eyes over.  
  
Kit wipes tears from her eyes, "C'mon now. Stoppit. You'se are all young men. I'm jus' gonna be in Brooklyn, you'se all know where dat is, roight?" all the boys nod their heads, "Oh I git it. No mor' Sweets. All you'se are t'inkin' about is food." They all laugh and tackle Kit in one big hug.  
  
Race steps forward, "You're loik a mudda to us all, you cooked, cleaned, comforted and smiled constantly. It's gonna be diffuhrent."  
  
Kit smiles and takes Race into her arms, hugging him like family. "I'll be back I promise. And you can visit Brooklyn anytime you want."  
  
Spot nods and takes Kit's hand, "I'll bring her back to visit soon."  
  
"You still don' own me Spot Conlon," Kit looks at him, a slight frown on her face.  
  
"Not yet, but I will" Spot puts one hand under her knees and pulls her up into his arms, carrying her out of the hall.  
  
***  
  
Kit stays in Brooklyn for three months before Spot finally asks her to marry him.  
  
Spot watches Kit tuck the little boys into their beds. He walks up behind her and wraps his arms around her waist, "ya want one of dos'"  
  
Kit nods, "Yeah, I want one of my own."  
  
Spot kisses her neck, "Den I guess we have ta get married, 'cause I don't wan' ya goin' ta any udda man to get one."  
  
Kit watches the little boys fall asleep and smiles, "Are you'se askin me ta marry ya, Spot Conlon?"  
  
"Aye"  
  
***  
  
Kit returns to Manhattan for a week, leaving Spot in Brooklyn to sell. She walks into the lodging house, signs the ledger and gives Kloppman five cents, after talking to him for along while about how she was doing and how Brooklyn was treating her.  
  
"Hey, da boys don' know I'm heah. So don't tell dem I'm up in da bunkroom. 'kay?"  
  
"Yeah, but they sure will be happy ta see ya back Kit."  
  
"Too bad it's only gonna be for a week"  
  
Kloppman nods as she makes her way up the stairs.  
  
Kit stands in the doorway to the bunkroom and frowns fiercely. "My gosh, I guess I neva really realized how much I did around heah." She steps over several articles of clothing as she steps into the room. She peeks into the washroom and cringes. Towels lay scattered all over the floor, along with more dirty clothes.  
  
She cleans for four hours before she hears the boys trample into the lodging house.  
  
***  
  
Jack walks into the lodging house chattering with Race about the races today. "Hey, Kloppman. How was your dey?" Jack looks down at the ledger where he is supposed to sign, "Hey Kloppman, ya got it on da wrong page heah. Dis is from when Kit was heah."  
  
Race sniffs the air and motions for Mush to follow him. The two boys walk into the kitchen to see three large chicken potpies sitting on the counter and a delicious chocolate smell coming from the oven. Mush opens the freezer and sees five gallons of homemade vanilla ice cream. Race and Mush look at each other before running back into the lobby.  
  
"Listen Kloppman, I'm tellin' you dat dis is da wrong page. Dere is no way." Jack turns to see race and Mush standing next to him fidgeting in excitement. "What's da matta wit' you two?"  
  
Race takes off his cap and starts to twist it, "Eidder me and Mush was imaginin' t'ings or dere is really a kitchen full of Kit's homemade food."  
  
Kloppman smiles and all the boys rush up the stairs. Kit is standing by a window when they all trample in to the bunkroom. She has her back to them so they can't see that tears in her eyes.  
  
Jack cautiously steps toward Kit. "Kit - you'se alroight"  
  
Kit turns around and embraces Jack in a hug, "No. You'se boys have jus' gotten doitier since I left." The boys in the lodging house cheer and smother Kit in hugs.  
  
Race saunters forward after everyone is out of his way. "So, what'd ya make us for dinna?"  
  
Kit knocks him over the head, "Is that all you eva' t'ink about Racetrack Higgins?"  
  
"No, I occasionally t'ink about an upcomin' horserace or goil." Race smirks and hugs Kit tightly. "It's good ta have you'se back Sweets."  
  
***  
  
After dinner Kit dishes out warm-from-the-oven brownies and homemade vanilla ice cream. She steals a glance at Blink and winks at him. "Alroight boys, I have some good news and some bad news to tell you'se. And since you'se is all cur'ently stuffin' yourselves full of dessert, I t'ought I would bring dese mattas to your attention. Bad news is.I'm on'y stayin' in Man'attan for a week." Several of the boys groan and start to speak with their mouths full but Kit holds a hand up to silence them, "Good news is.I'm get'in' married." Several of the boys jump out of their seats with a look of disbelief on their faces. Kit gives them a stern look that makes all of them sit back down quietly.  
  
Blink stands up and looks at Kit, "Who is it?"  
  
Kit smiles, knowing the reaction she is going to get with the next two words that come from her mouth, "Spot Conlon" The room echoes with the clinking of forks and spoons being dropped onto the table in surprise.  
  
Kit smiles, thankful they didn't burst out in disbelief.  
  
Jack stands and walks over to Kit, holding up his glass of soda, "Ta Sweets, our mudda, our sista and our maid. Congratulations, sunshoine."  
  
An echo of "Ta Sweets" passes through the room and Jack kisses her cheek. One by one each boy comes up and congratulates her. The rest of the night is filled with laughter, talk, and gambling as Kit beats them all in poker.  
  
***  
  
All this week Kit runs back and forth from the grocer, to Irving hall to schedule a date for the wedding with Medda, and to Mrs. Jacobs's house where she is making the invitations for the wedding. She had made dinner at the lodging house every night  
  
Finally the day came when Kit had to get back to Brooklyn and to Spot. She woke the boys up on that dreary Saturday and told them goodbye. Constantly reminding them all morning not to forget to pick up their clothes and change their sheets occasionally. She waited until they left for distribution alley before setting off.  
  
Kit arrives in Brooklyn just in time to have lunch with Spot. He kisses her passionately when he first sees her by the docks playing with the little kids. Entertaining the kids after lunch had become her hobby since moving to Brooklyn.  
  
"Kit, it's been mont's, I've missed you'se" Spot picks her up in his arms and twirls her around making her giggle, something he knew she never did.  
  
"It has on'y been a week, Spot!" When Spot finally sets her down on the ground she kisses him softly and tells of all the plans she made for the wedding while she was away. Spot, with out warning, scoops her up in his arms and starts walking.  
  
Kit waves at the little kids and they head back to their homes. "Spot where are you taking me to?"  
  
"No one's the lodging house and I would like to talk to you alone" Spot starts to nuzzle her neck and walk faster.  
  
***  
  
Do you James Conlon take Katherine O'Connell to be your lawfully wedded wife, to have and to hold, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, 'til death do you part?  
Spot looks at Kit, "I do"  
And do you Katherine O'Connell take James Conlon to be your lawfully wedded husband to have and to hold, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, 'til death do you part?  
  
"I do" Kit smiles at Spot.  
  
Then I now pronounce you husband and wife, you may now kiss the bride.  
  
Kit starts crying as Spot takes her into his arms and kisses her as if it were the first time. "I Love you Katherine Conlon with all my heart, body and soul."  
  
Kit laughs at the sound of her new name. "I love you too, Spot."  
  
***  
  
Kit and Spot walk into Irving Hall to be greeted by a roar of the crowd gathered at the reception. Jack walks up and slaps Spot on the back, giving Kit a peck on the cheek before dragging Spot off to talk to the boys.  
  
Mush walks up to Kit, "May I have dis dance, Mrs. Conlon?"  
  
Kit hits him in the arm, "It's still Kit to you'se, Mush" she takes his hand and is lead out on to the dance floor. It's a slow song so Mush and Kit have time to talk. "What's on your mind, Mush?"  
  
"Well, I'm jus' t'inking how strange it is wit' out you at da house dese days."  
  
Kit nods, "I know."  
  
"I'm so happy for ya, Sweets."  
  
"Hmm.I haven't been called dat for awhile."  
  
Mush laughs at her thoughtful expression and walks her over to Spot, "She's all yours."  
  
Spot picks her up around the waist and spins her around, "She shoir is."  
  
Jack, Mush, Blink and Race all give speeches. Telling of Kit's many adventures in the newsie world and of Spot's infamous bravery. It only seems natural that they ended up together.  
  
The night continues on into the wee hours of the morning. Medda sings and joins in on the party while newsies from all over the state of New York show up to congratulate them.  
  
Around two in the morning, Spot dangles a key in front of Kit's face. "Is dat' an apahrtment key, Spot Conlon?"  
  
"Shoire is, Dawlface," Spot kisses her nose, "and it's all ours."  
  
After smacking Spot on the arm playfully, Kit stands up so quickly that Spot has to grab her chair to keep it from crashing to the floor. The room goes silent as she steps up on the stage to speak, "Excuse me! T'ank ya for coming ta noight, you'se are welcome to stay as long as you loik, or until Medda kicks you out." A loud roar of cheers burst out at this time and Kit holds a finger to her lips "Shh.Ok.but Spot and I have to be getting' back ta Brooklyn. It was nice to see you'se all again and I hope ya enjoyed ya selves. Goo' noight!" with a grand bow Kit exits stage left only to run into Spot who kisses her hungrily, pulls her out the back door and to their new apartment in Brooklyn. 


	5. Ch 5

Chapter 5  
  
Kit has been married to Spot for four months and has quit working as a newsie. She is now babysitting for single working mothers and cleaning the Manhattan and Brooklyn Lodging houses twice a month. This way she earns money and sees all the boys she loves.  
  
The sun shines through the windows of the riverside apartment that she and Spot live in together. It is nine in the morning and Kit is just waking up. She curses herself as she crawls out of the warm bed and gets dressed. It was the fourth time this week she had slept late. Normally she would wake up with Spot, who still works for The World as a newsie, and clean up the apartment before setting off to baby-sit.  
  
After several minutes of searching, she finds her pants under the large king size bed. She remembers that she is cleaning the lodging house in Manhattan today and wonders whether or not she should do it. She is feeling sick to her stomach again today and is sure Kloppman will understand. Kit shakes that thought out of her mind as she washes her face and pulls on her suspenders. It's in the back of her mind to see a doctor but she figures it's just a stomach virus that's been going around. She pulls her hair up into an untidy ponytail on the top of her head, and shoves her cap on just as she leaves her apartment.  
  
She brushes an escaped lock of chocolate hair out of her face as she crosses a street and greets Spot with a kiss.  
  
"Moinin' sweet 'eart. Where ya off to taday?"  
  
Kit squints up at the sky and places her hands on her hips, "Moinin'? It's almost eleven. I slept late agin'." She smiles at him, "I'm goin' ta Man'attan taday. So I prolly won' be home til late. You know how dos' boys are."  
  
Spot kisses her nose, "I'm shoire your jus' tired from all da woik you'se been doin lately. Yeah, I know how dos' boys are. Have fun."  
  
((  
  
Kit is half-way across the Brooklyn Bridge before she starts to get tired. This walk was beginning to stretch out for miles in front of her. She pushes her tiredness aside and arrives in Manhattan just in time for lunch.  
  
Tibby's is packed by the time Mush and Race walk in for lunch. They both pull up chairs at a table with Blink, Jack, Snipeshooter and a few other boys.  
  
Mush sits down and orders a sandwich, "Anyone hoid from Kit lately?"  
  
Most of the boys just shake their heads no but Blink smiles, "She's sposed ta be cleanin' da lodging house ta day."  
  
"Ya know what dat means boys?" Race's smile brightens as the group says in unison, "Dinna"  
  
A boy walks into the restaurant looking tired and worn out, the Manhattan group turns to look at him. Mush lets out a low-whistle, "wonda' what happened to him."  
  
"Yeah, he looks loik he got woiked ova' pretty bad." Race interjects.  
  
As if the boy was waiting for his cue, he takes off his hat and long chocolate brown curls tumble past his shoulders.  
  
Mush jumps up, "It's Kit." He rushes over to her, catches her just as she is about to faint, and carries her over to the table.  
  
Jack wipes her face with a cool rag and helps her drink a glass of water. "Kit what's wrong wit' you? You look worn out."  
  
"It's jus' da heat." She downs a glass of water and sighs seemingly back to normal. "You boys hoid about any type of virus goin' around lately?"  
  
Jack shakes his head along with the other boys, "Nah, not us. Why?"  
  
"Well, I've been sick lately." She looks at the worried boys, "Nah, not like dat but jus'.well I don' know. I've been wakin' up late all week. It's like I haven' got no energy no mores. And I've been real sick ta me stomach." She looks at Jack's smirk, as it soon spreads to the entire table, and she frowns.  
  
Jack turns to a small kid, "Hey, I'se gonna give you'se two bits if you'se run ta Brooklyn and get Spot Conlon for me. Just tell him dat Jack needs ta toilk to him immediately." The kid runs off in the direction of Brooklyn.  
  
Kit looks at Jack and the rest of the boys with speculation turning Race, "Explain dere odd behaviah, please." Race leans over and whispers something in her ear that no one else can hear. Kit gasps and looks at him shaking her head, "no."  
  
Race smiles and hugs her, "Yes.yes yes yes."  
  
***  
  
Spot is sitting at the docks talking with Tip when a little boy runs up to him. Spot looks at the boy in question.  
  
"Jack Kelley sent me heah. You'se are needed in Man'attan immediately. Kit came inta Tibby's and almost passed out."  
  
Spot jumps up and is running by the time his feet touch the ground.  
  
***  
  
Spot slides into restaurant, sees Kit and runs over to her. Kneeling down in front of her and taking her flushed face in his hands, he sighs in relief, "T'ank God you'se alroight." Kit just smiles at him and brushes a lock of dirty blond hair off his forehead. Spot turns to Jack, puzzled, "What was da emoigency?"  
  
Jack just smiles and Race speaks for him, "Ask ya li'l wife dere."  
  
Kit laughs softly and begins ta cry, "I'm goin' ta have a baby - We are goin' ta have a baby."  
  
Spot just stands in shock for a moment. A baby, wow. My li'l wife is goin' ta have a baby.a baby? Skittery jumps up and slides a chair underneath Spot just as he sits down heavily. "A baby?" his voice so quiet Kit has to lean in to hear him.  
  
Her face falls from a delicate smile to a worried frown, "You don' wanna baby, Spot?  
  
Spot kisses her hard on the mouth, "Don' you eva' think that. Eva! I want dis baby more din anyt'ing."  
  
The table erupts in cheers as Spot hugs his wife tightly.  
  
Kit smiles, "Well boys, I betta be getting' to woik, You'se all are messy." She stands and Spot grabs her hand.  
  
"Oh no you'se don'. You moight hoit your self or sumt'in'"  
  
Kit just pats his hand, "I'll be fine." She then turns and heads off in the direction of the lodging house.  
  
***  
  
Months pass as Kit's abdomen grows. When she is five months along, she is showing enough that everyone knows.  
  
Kit wakes up at eight thirty on Saturday, crawls out of bed and looks for the heavy wool skirt Mrs. Jacobs had given her. December has snuck up on her and her boy's pants don't look decent. She braids her hair into two French braids and then sets off to see Spot.  
  
After saying good morning to Spot, much to Spot's disapproval, she walks in the direction of Manhattan. Spot doesn't want her working anymore but she insists. They do, after all, need the money.  
  
Kit walks into the lodging house to see all the boys there. "What's going on?" She pushes through the sea of boys and into Kloppman's room and office. Jack is standing next to Kloppman who is lying on the bed, taken over with pneumonia. "Jack, what's wrong with him?"  
  
Jack wipes his eyes, "He's dying Kit. He caught pneumonia and now he's dying."  
  
Kit bounds across the room, as quick as she can due to her current condition, "You can't die. You have all dese boys ta take care of, what about dem?" kneels by his bed.  
  
Kloppman takes her small warm hand into his large cold one, "Take over the Lodging house for me. You can cook and they all love you so much already." He moves her hand and places it on her swollen abdomen, "with every death in the world there is a birth. Take care of your baby, love it with all your heart, and keep it safe." The old man takes in his last breath and his wrinkled hand goes limp as Kit holds it.  
  
Kit stands as Jack opens his arms to her, gently stroking her hair to calm her sobbing, "shh.it's alright." Jack holds her for a few minutes before leading her out into the lobby and closing the door behind him. He passes Kit over to Mush and Race. "Blink I want you to call the funeral home, Kloppman has passed away." Most of the boys cross themselves and walk out of the lodging house. Jack runs a hand over his eyes as Blink leaves.  
  
The only sound now is Kit's muffled sobs.  
  
***  
  
Kit agreed to run the lodging house after she had talked it over with Spot. He and Kit are now living at the lodging house, in the owner's quarters at the back of the house. They have their king size bed in the largest bedroom and their own washroom connected to it. Spot is looking for work in Manhattan and is working as a newsie until he finds one.  
  
After Kloppman's funeral, everyone heads back to the lodging house. Kit cooks dinner and they all sit down to a silent meal.  
  
***  
  
Medda hosts a New Year's Eve party at Irving hall and invites, as usual, everyone.  
  
Kit sits at the front desk of the lodging house, her feet propped up on a stool and a newspaper resting on her swollen belly as she reads it.  
  
Jack walks into the lodging house, kisses Kit's cheek and leans against the desk. "Guess what."  
  
Kit sits up and puts the newspaper on the desk, smiling, "What?"  
  
"Medda is holding her annuahl New Year's Eve party at Irving hall. Aren' ya excited?"  
  
"Ecstatic." Kit stands, puts a hand to her back, and walks into the kitchen. "How does spaghetti sound for dinna?"  
  
"Wondafuhl. Why do I do I doubt dat foist ruhmahrk?"  
  
"Jack look at me. I'm not da prettiest goil in Man'attan anymor'.  
  
Jack looks at her long brown curls, red lips, sapphire eyes and swollen belly, "Kit the on'y t'ing dat has changed about ya is da child dat is growin in you. Which makes you'se all da mor' beautuhfuhl." He hugs her and then walks out of the lodging how, yelling over his shoulder, "chocolate cake please."  
  
She laughs and throws an oven mitt at him, then walks up the stairs to pick up the bunkroom and washroom before the rest of the boys get there.  
  
***  
On Friday Kit, Spot and the rest of the boys head off to Irving hall. Kit is wearing a pretty blue dress, her hair pulled up halfway and a permanent look of laughter in her eyes. The boys chatter on about nothing in particular as Kit squeezes Spot's hand in excitement. It is the first time Kit had been out since getting married.  
  
The noisy group of boys walks into the Hall and scatters in different directions, each looking for a dance partner and setting off to the dance floor. A group of boys from Queens walks up to Spot and Kit. Kit takes in a sharp breath as they walk up. Spot glares at them hard, "Yeah, what do you want?"  
  
The leader of the small group speaks up holds up his hands in innocence, "Nuttin' Spot, we'se was just wonderin' who the beutuhfuhl goil you have with you was. Dat's all."  
  
Kit looks at them in disbelief. Did they really not recognize her?  
  
Spot smirks, "I would loik you'se all ta meet my wife, Kit O'Connell- Conlon."  
  
Kit smiles brightly and puts her hand out to shake, "How do ya do boys? I believe we've already met."  
  
The boys numbly shake her hand, "It..you..how? You look diffuhrent." Glancing down at her stomach.  
  
"Hmm." Kit puts a hand to her swollen belly and says with sarcasm, "Really now? I didn' even notice."  
  
Spot smiles and leads her away to sit at a table.  
  
The night dwindles slowly as Kit watches everyone dancing, with envy. Finally, feeling too tired to stay at the party much longer, Kit whispers to Spot, who is in the middle of a Poker game, "I'm famished, see ya at home?"  
  
Spot turns and kisses her cheek, "ya want me ta get someone ta take ya"  
  
"Nah, I'll be fine." Kit then kisses him and leaves the hall, heading straight for the lodging house. 


	6. Ch 6

Chapter 6  
As March begins Kit finds it hard to get around. The baby is due in the middle of April so time is running out fast to get everything put together. With the help of Sarah and Esther Jacobs, the boys build a nursery out of the sick room. The sick room is a small room upstairs with only one twin size bed, a sink and a closet in it. The boys remove the twin size bed and replace it with a handmade bassinette and rocking chair. Sarah and Esther decorate it with handmade quilts and other baby things they have made.  
  
Kit walks to Tibby's at lunch and is greeted with warm smiles. Mush and Race help her sit down, her swollen abdomen making it hard to sit down on her own.  
  
Race frown at her, "Why'd you walk down here, Kit?"  
  
"Because me and my son are hungry, that's why." She places a hand on her belly and smiles, "besides, it gets lonely at home, wit' out all you'se dere."  
  
Spot walks into Tibby's smiling and then he sees Kit, "I thought I told you to stay at home. You can't just go." he looks at Kit puzzled as she takes his hand and places it on her stomach. Spot jumps as he feels it move.  
  
"He's kicking. Your son is hungry." Kit smiles.  
  
Spot kneels down beside his wife with amazement, "dat's him? Kicking?" Spot stands quickly and orders her some food.  
  
***  
  
Race walks into the bunkroom and finds Kit holding her back as she reaches up to grab a dirty shirt off of a high shelf. He rushes forward and snatches the shirt down, scowling at Kit, "Are you trying to kill yourself?"  
  
Kit just looks at him sheepishly, "I didn' t'ink it was dat high."  
  
Race rolls his eyes at her, takes her hand and walks her over to a nearby bunk. "Sit" He watches her hold her back in pain as she struggles to sit down. "What's wroing?" He helps her sit down gently on the soft mattress.  
  
"Nuttin' my back jus' hoits, along wit' my swollen feet and ceaseless headache."  
  
Race smiles at her sympathetically and takes off the soft leather shoes encasing her small feet. He gently massages them as he talks to her, "Have you decided on a name?"  
  
"Well, since it is goin' ta be a boy, we have decided on Anthony James. But if it was a mistake and da baby is really a goil, it will be Samantha Rose."  
  
"Those are great names."  
  
"Race, how would feel about bein' da Godfadder to our baby? Along wit' all da udda boys dat I grew up wit'. Ya know loik Jack, Blink, Mush, Skittery and Tip o' coise from Brooklyn. All da boys around mine and Spot's age."  
  
Race almost explodes in happiness, "I would be honor'd Kit."  
  
"Well, I'm glad. C'mon, help me up. I need ta start cookin' dinna."  
  
***  
  
Spot finally got a job at The Journal as a headline writer.  
  
Spot and the boys are sitting in Tibby's the Wednesday of the second week in April, just talking and eating dinner before heading back to the lodging house. Kit, being heavily pregnant, hasn't felt up to the task of cooking the boys' dinner lately.  
  
"So Mush, you gotta a new goil." Blink calls out from across the table.  
  
Mush just blushes and Race slaps him on the back. Mush recovers and smirks at Blink, "What about you and da Mayor's daughta?"  
  
Blink laughs and looks at Spot. "How's Kit doin' Spot?"  
  
"Good I hope, da baby's due any day now and I'm jus' waitin'. Nervoisly."  
  
The boy's head back to the lodging house and sign in, leaving their five cents in a coffee can on the counter.  
  
Kit kisses Spot as he walks into the kitchen, "Hey" Her voice sounding tired and strained.  
  
Spot becomes instantly worried, "What's wrong, Sweets?"  
  
"Nothing, your son is just kicking a lot, dats all." Kit grabs his hand and squeezes it as another contraction passes. "A lot."  
  
Spot leads her over to their bed and helps her lay down. "Alroight, you stay heah and I'm gonna go toilk to da boys, ok?"  
  
Spot races upstairs the minute he sees Kit is laying down on the bed comfortably. He slides into the bunkroom and over to Jack, "Sumt'in is wroing with Kit. She says da baby is kicking a lot. She seems like she's in a lot of pain."  
  
Race sprints in to action and sends Snitch to fetch Mrs. Jacobs, Skittery to fetch some clean towels and Blink to put some water on the stove to boil.  
  
***  
  
Mrs. Jacobs walks briskly into the lodging house, Sarah tagging along behind her, and rushes right into the room that Jess is in.  
  
Kit squeezes Spot's hand in pain as another contraction passes. Oh it hurts so badly. She breathes deeply and feels the sweat forming on her brow.  
  
Mrs. Jacobs smiles and leans down to Kit, "You're going to have the baby now, Katherine."  
  
Kit just winces as a small contraction passes through her tired body. She eventually nods and Sarah ushers Spot out into the lobby and calls out for towels and hot water.  
  
***  
  
Spot is escorted into the lobby just as Blink and Skittery go into the room carrying towels and a bowl of hot water.  
  
The two boys are shoved right back out seconds later. All the boys are now down stairs, Race is smoking a cigar outside and Jack is sitting in a corner reading the afternoon newspaper. Spot, on the other hand, is pacing back and forth in front of the door, constantly stopping to look at the clock on the wall. Spot hears a scream emitted from inside the room and is about to bust down the door when Jack touches his shoulder.  
  
"She's fine, I'm sure of it" Jack pulls Spot away from the door and leads him into the cool night air.  
  
((  
  
Three hours and thirty minutes later most of the boys have gone to bed. Jack, Race and Spot still sit in the lobby, waiting and praying. The wail of a baby is heard and Spot jumps up from his seat behind the desk. A few minutes later, Esther Jacobs walks out of the bedroom with a bundle of white blankets in her arms and hands it to Spot.  
  
Jack and Race walk over just as Spot sees the baby boy's face. "Spot, I would like you to meet your son, Anthony James." Spot wipes tears from his eyes as he looks into his son's sky blue pools of innocence.  
  
Race smiles as one of Anthony's tiny hands wraps around his finger. "dis one's gotta good grip on him, Spot. Ya did well."  
  
Jack smiles as he holds him. "He's so tiny. Is dat normahl?"  
  
"Of coise it's normuhl Jack. He is a baby." Mush laughs softly and gently touches the baby's soft hair, "He's got Spot's eyes and Kit's hair."  
  
When the boys head up to the bunkroom, Spot walks into the bedroom holding Anthony in his arms. "Hey Sweets, how ya feel?" He lays the baby boy in his mother's arms and pushes a lock of hair behind Jess's ear.  
  
"Tired. Exhausted. Geez, I could sleep for a week." Spot smiles as she yawns. "He's a beutahfuhl li'l boy"  
  
"Just loik his mudder." Spot kisses her forehead, takes the baby over to the bassinette at the end of the room, and lays it down. "I t'ink our whole family could use some rest." He walks back over and lies down next to Kit. "Sleep tight, Dollface" He waits for the playful smack from Kit but looks down to see her already curled up next to him, asleep, and this is how it would be for the rest of his life. He would sleep by the woman he loved while surrounded by his family. 


End file.
